Illuminating device



Oct, 21. 1924.

L. ERIKSON ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed Jan. a. 1923 Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

LEONARD ERIKSON, OF MALDEN, MASSACHUSETTS.

ILLUMINA-TING DEVICE.

Application filed January 8, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEONARD EiuKsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Malden, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Illuminating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to illuminating devices and more especially to such devices of the type known as bank-counter screen-reflectors which employ a diffusing screen to soften the light and prevent glare and which are used chiefly, but not exclusively, for illuminating the desks or counters in the tellers cages in banks.

Heretofore such bank-counter screen-reflectors have been made with diffusing screens pivotally supported across the longi tudinally extending opening in the bottom of the casing so that if it is desired to wash or thoroughly cleanse the diffusing screen which is generally of ground glass, it is necessary to remove the hinged frame which carries the diffusing screen. Diifusing screens of this character must be thoroughly cleansed in order to secure the greatest efficiency of illumination, and the object of my invention is to provide a bank-counter screen-reflector in which such cleansing of the screen may conveniently be effected.

With this end in view my invention involves the usual longitudinal casing having an open bottom, a longitudinal reflector of any suitable type, a lamp or lighting unit below the reflector, and a diffusing screen slidably arranged in the bottom of the casing and across the opening thereof.

My invention also involves an economic and convenient construction of the longitudinal casing which is made up of an integral top and front wall, a series of frames or brackets attached thereto, and a rear wall pivotally connected to the top, said frames or brackets being provided with a grooves for receiving the diffusing screen, so that by opening the vertical door which is formed by the pivotally connected rear wall, access may be had to the interior of the casing and the diffusing screens removed from their supporting brackets.

One embodiment of my invention is shown in the drawings which accompany Serial No. 611,389.

and form a part of this specification in which Figure 1 is a rear view of an illun'l'inating device embodying my invention;

Fig, 2 is a transverse section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary bottom view.

In the particular drawings selected for more fully disclosing my invention 10 represents a support such as one of the partitions forming a bank tellers cage or the like, to which the illuminating device is attached in any suitabl manner. The top 11 and rear wall 152 preferably are formed integral and consist in the present instance of a plate of zinc or other suitable material bent at right angles, the rear edge of said top extending a short distance downwardly as shown at 13. Attached to the top in any suitable manner as by the screws 14:, and to the rear wall by the screws 15, are a series of frames or brackets 16, 17, 18, each being rectangular in shape with the upper rearward corner replaced by a curved portion 19. The lower side of each bracket is grooved as indicated at 20 to receive the diffusing or light-softening screens 21 which may be of ground glass.

The center bracket 16 and the end brackets 18 are provided with upwardly extending arms 22 at their upper rearward corners,

to which arms the rear wall or door 23 is hinged in any suitable manner, in the pres ent instance by a screw 24 threaded to the nut 25 soldered in the upper corner of said door, said screw passing into a hole 26 in the brackets. The lower end of the door is bent at right angles so as to extend horizontally when the door is closed, as shown at 27, and lies under the rearward edge of the diffusing screen when the latter is in position.

For retaining the door in closed position, catches 28 on the inner side of the door connected with finger-pieces 29, extending brackets, they may readily be removed. The rearward ends of the intermediate brackets terminate in tongues 30 against which the doors 23 rest in closed position. The casing is closed at its ends by suitable end pieces 31 which are soldered or otherwise appropriately attached to the brackets 18.

Attached to the rear wall is a conductor trough 32 supporting the lamp sockets 33 in which the lamps 34 are placed.

Supported from the top of the casing in any suitable manner is a reflector 35, shown in the present instance as a trough-shaped or angular metallic reflector substantially coextensive with the length of the casing. In the present instance the reflector is attached to the top of the casing by the screws 36 and nuts 37, collars 38 being interposed between said reflector and casing in order properly to position said reflector.

It will be understood of course that while I have shown a faceted polished metal reflector, I may employ any of the usual types of reflectors such as metallic reflectors which are curvilinear in transverse section, or r flectors consisting of faceted shells supporting silvered glass strips.

The reflector and lamp are related in the usual manner so that the maximum light is directed over the surface to be illuminated.

Having thus described an illustrative embodiment of my invention without however limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An illuminating device comprising a longitudinal casing having an open bottom, a longitudinally extending reflector within said casing, a lamp supported within said casing and located beneath said reflector, a diffusing screen slidably arranged in the bottom of said casing and across the opening thereof, means pivotally connecting the rear wall. of said casing to the top thereof, the lower end of said rear wall when in normal position being opposite the rearward end of said screen, and means for locking said rear wall in normal position.

2. An illuminating device comprising a longitudinal casing having its top and front wall formed integral, a rear wall, means pivotally connecting said rear wall to said top, brackets attached to said top and front wall, said brackets being provided with grooves, a diffusing screen slidable in said grooves, the lower end of said rear all when in normal position being opposite uary 1922.

LEONARD ERIKSON. 

